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When should I introduce solids?

On our recent visit to the pediatrician, he suggested we start our little girl on solids from 4 months to lower chances of her being allergic to any foods. I have been exclusively breastfeeding her up until now (she is 3 months). We have read many articles stating the benefits of exclusively breastfeeding up until 6 months. Please advise as to whether I should take his advice or continue breastfeeding for 6 months.

I have to admit that I am very suprised that your paediatrician suggested this. As you say, the current World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendation is to exclusively breastfeed for 6 months and this means giving no other food or liquids for the first 6 months of life. The benefits of this are immense.

Your bub will be being exposed to lots of different kinds of foods through your breastmilk- maybe there's something to the whole 'start early to limit allergies' with formula fed bubs, but I'd think it's definitely not relevant to breastfed bubs.

I 'start' mine on solids when they are interested enough in food that they can grab it off me and have a go at it sometime around 6 months, but like any guidelines, that's just a number and not a firm 'YOU MUST DO THIS' that will work for everyone My second bub was 5.5 months when she grabbed a bread roll out of my hand while sitting on my lap. I let her have a chomp and a play with it, and from then on, gave her bits of pretty much whatever we were eating if she was awake and looking interested. I noticed a change in her nappies (indicating that she was actually ingesting a decent amount of food) when she was about 7 months.